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January 23, 2021 - 11:17 AM
Thompson-Nicola Okanagan and Shuswap regions continue to see COVID-19 exposures in schools.
Yesterday, Jan. 23, the Central Okanagan school district confirmed a COVID-19 case at Rutland Senior Secondary. This marks the third case reported in Central Okanagan schools this week. On Thursday, Jan. 22, a case was confirmed at Rutland Elementary School and on Monday, Jan. 18 at Black Mountain Elementary.
Those with COVID-19 are currently self-isolating a home with support from public health teams.
READ MORE: Most B.C. schools were COVID-safe places this fall: Dr. Bonnie Henry
There have been 23 potential exposures in the Thompson Okanagan and Shuswap regions within the last two weeks, according to Interior Health.
Seven potential COVID-19 exposures were reported at Central Okanagan schools at Aberdeen Hall Preparatory School on Jan. 12, Rutland Elementary, Jan. 13-15 and 18-19, Rutland Secondary, Jan. 11 and Jan. 18-20, Springvalley Elementary, Jan. 11-12, South Rutland Elementary, Jan. 11, Mount Boucherie Secondary, Jan. 11-14 and Black Mountain Elementary, Jan. 14.
Potential school exposures have also been reported in other areas of the Interior.
In Kamloops, school exposures have been reported at South Kamloops Secondary Jan. 12-13, Juniper Ridge Elementary, Jan. 11, Valleyview Secondary, Jan. 11 and at Marion Schilling Elementary , Jan. 14.
Merritt also reported a school exposure at Merritt Secondary Jan. 11-12.
In the North Okanagan and Shuswap regions, 10 exposures within the last two weeks were recorded at St. James School in Vernon, Clarence Fulton Secondary, Jan. 18-19, W.L. Seaton Secondary, Jan. 11-12 and 14-15, Jan. 11-15, in Salmon Arm’s South Canoe Elementary, Jan. 11-15, Bastion Elementary, Jan. 11-12, Salmon Arm Secondary, Jan. 11 and 15, Salmon Arm West Elementary, Jan. 11 and 12, at Enderby’s M.V. Beattie Elementary, Jan. 11-15, at Armstrong’s Len Wood Middle School Jan. 13 and at Pleasant Valley Secondary School, Jan. 15.
In the South Okanagan, there was one school exposure at Summerland Middle School, Jan. 11.
In other parts of the Interior, exposures were also recorded in Golden, Horsefly and Williams Lake.
If a student or teacher receives a confirmed positive COVID-19 test result, Interior Health starts contact tracing to determine how the person was infected and who they were in close contact with. Then they identify and notify close contacts who may be at an increased risk, and advise them to self isolate and monitor for symptoms for 14 days.
Toward the end of December, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said between Nov. 1 and Dec. 18, there were 526 exposure events in B.C. schools.
Like cases themselves, most of these exposures were in Vancouver Coastal and Fraser health regions.
Of recorded COVID-19 cases, three-quarters in schools were among students, while the rest were in staff. Dr. Henry said only 10 per cent of the exposure events led to transmission within the school environment and most transmission events involve staff members to each other.
To keep updated on the list of school exposures, visit Interior Health’s website.
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